Chanukah:Halakha and Hashkafa II
Chanukah:Halakha and Hashkafa II

 

Lasting Spiritual Accomplishments

            Despite all the shortcomings, the Hasmonean victories had great value.  The political independence that they won, albeit limited, contributed to the prosperity of the Jewish population in Eretz Yisrael in every way.  Previously, around forty percent of Judea’s produce was taken by the Greeks as a tax; now all of it remained in the Land, stimulating economic growth.  By virtue of the victories, Jewish settlements sprung up throughout the country, Jews immigrated from the Diaspora, birthrates rose, and the Jewish nation, which had undergone destruction and exile, rehabilitated itself, to a large degree.

            Through the medium of political independence, Eretz Yisrael became, once again, the national and spiritual center of the Jewish people.  Study halls flourished and expanded, fulfilling completely the behest of the Men of the Great Assembly: “Produce many disciples and make a fence for the Torah” (Avot 1:1).  The spiritual foundations of the Oral Law, which enabled Jewry to safeguard its beliefs and its Torah for 2,000 years of harsh exile, were laid in those days.

            This is why the miracle of the oil-flask symbolizes the days of Chanukah more than anything else.  Even though the Second Temple was destroyed and all the political achievements of the Hasmoneans were lost, the study of the Oral Law, which developed and intensified in those days, remained forever.  The miracle of the oil-flask revealed the eternal quality of the Torah, its ability to illuminate the darkness in a supernatural way.  By virtue of the Torah, we managed to survive the long and dark exile.  The miracle of the oil-flask also revealed the Jewish nation’s unique character.  It showed that we are different from all other nations and that it is impossible to subdue us or extinguish our faith.

            In the merit of their self-sacrifice, Matityahu and his sons were privileged to bring to light the deep foundations of the Torah and the uniqueness of the Jewish people.  The Hasmonean dynasty, however, with all its problems and complexities, was a short-lived kingdom, and we do not commemorate it in a particularly celebratory manner.

            This explains Chazal’s statement (Rosh HaShanah 18b)that the holiday of Chanukah is everlasting because of the miracle of the oil-flask and the Rabbinic mitzvah of lighting the candles.  The oil-flask miracle showed that the military victory over the Greeks did not benefit that generation alone, but all generations.  Therefore, the Rabbis determined that we continue observing the days of Chanukah, even though the other holidays mentioned in Megillat Ta’anit were abolished after the Temple was destroyed.  Thus, in addition to the mitzvah of lighting the Candles all eight nights of Chanukah, we say Al HaNissim and Hallel, to thank and praise HaShem for saving us and allowing us to defeat our enemies.[5]

            Over the years, it became clear that the miracle was even greater [than we originally thought it was].  Not only did we manage to survive in the ocean of Hellenism that inundated the world, but Judaism shattered – through a long and complicated process – most of the pagan foundations of Hellenism.  The abstract belief in one God, ethical values, the aspiration to fix the world – all fundamentals of the Torah – increasingly spread among the nations of the world, eventually becoming, through both straight and crooked (Christianity, Islam)means, the foundations of all that is good and pleasant in human culture.

            The longer the exile lasts, the longer and brighter the light of Israel and its Torah shines.  And it will continue to illuminate [the world] until we are privileged to bring new and pure oil from the olives of Eretz Yisrael, from which we will light the Menorah of the Beit HaMikdash, and the world will be filled with the knowledge of God, speedily in our days.  Amen.

 

The Oral Law – The Light that Illuminates the Darkness

            It is no coincidence that the holiday of Chanukah falls out at a time when the darkness of night reaches its peak.  This period of the year is when the nights are longest and the cold of winter permeates the land.  Moreover, the moon barely shines, since Chanukah coincides with the days immediately before Rosh Chodesh, when the moon wanes.

            When the sun sets and darkness begins to envelop the land, and the long night casts its ominous, icy shadow upon the world, Jews go out with candles in their hands and light the Chanukah lamps.  This symbolizes the mighty Jewish faith, which breaks through all forms of darkness.  Even in the darkest times, when the mightiest empires ruled the world ruthlessly, we did not despair of the light of Torah and faith, and we continued learning and teaching.  A small ray of our light repels a great deal of their darkness.

            Chanukah is the time to rejoice over the Oral Law; firstly, because it was established [as a holiday] by the Sages [the expounders of the Oral Law], and also because the mitzvah of lighting the candles was one of the first mitzvot the Sages enacted.  Moreover, it symbolizes, generally speaking, the essence of the Oral Law.  During the First Temple era, prophecy abounded among the Jewish people, and they studied primarily the Written Law.  After the Temple was destroyed and prophecy ceased, however, the time came for the Oral Law [to take precedence].  The Oral Law displays the high stature of the Jewish people, who share in the revelation of the Torah’s light.  The principles are set in the Written Law, but the Sages of the Oral Law pave the way for the realization of these principles.  Granted, the light of the Written Law shines brighter, like the midday sun, while the light of the Oral Law resembles that of the moon and the stars.  However, the Oral Law has the ability to descend to the hidden recesses of man’s soul and illuminate all the dark corners of the world.  The foundations for the study of the Oral Law were laid during the Second Temple era – including all the edicts, [protective] “fences,” and customs.  The unique light of the Oral Law, which is like the Chanukah candles that illuminate the darkness, helped us cope with all the tribulations of exile.

            Apparently, these ideas hidden in the holiday of Chanukah are the deep-seated reason why Jews love and cherish it so much, to the point that almost every Jew, no matter how far he is from Torah observance, lights Chanukah candles.  Moreover, everyone follows the custom of fulfilling this mitzvah in the best possible way – Mehadrin min ha’mehadrin (see below 12:2).

 

A New Candle Every Day, Culminating with Eight

            Everything in the world is fleeting and eventually withers away.  This is true of ideas and memories, as well; they lose their strength and vitality over time.  But behold, when it comes to lighting the Chanukah candles, we discover that faith in HaShem never wanes.  On the contrary, it continues to exist and even thrive, despite the troubles and darkness all around.  The pure spirituality that is manifest in the Torah is eternal; therefore, it constantly increases.  Other ideas which are transient, however, fade away and expire.  Because of this wondrous idea, all of Israel follows the custom of Mehadrin min ha’mehadrin, in which one adds a new candle every night, eventually lighting eight candles on the final night.

            As is well-known, the number eight alludes to what is beyond physical nature.  After all, the world was created in seven days, and there are seven days in a week.  The number eight, on the other hand, hints to the supernatural, like brit milah (ritual circumcision), whose purpose is to rectify and elevate nature to a higher level, which is why it is performed on the eighth day.  The Torah, as well, belongs to the eighth dimension, for it comes to elevate nature to a divine level.  This is why the Torah was given after the seven-week [Sefirah] count, which represents the wholeness of nature.  After [the seven weeks of Sefirah], we rise to a level above nature – the holiday of Shavu’ot, when the Torah was given.  Similarly, we complete the reading of the Torah on Shemini Atzeret (the eighth day from the beginning of Sukkot), which is Simchat Torah.

            Chanukah, as well, belongs to the realm of the supernatural, for it reveals the lofty stature of the Oral Law.  Therefore, we light candles for eight nights, adding a new one each night.[6]

 

Laws of Al HaNissim and Hallel

            The Sages instituted the holiday of Chanukah in order to thank and praise HaShem for delivering Israel [from oppression].  For this purpose, they formulated the Al HaNissim prayer, which we insert in the blessing of thanksgiving in Shemoneh Esrei.  We also say it in Birkat HaMazone (Grace After Meals), in the blessing of Nodeh Lecha.  We do not, however, mention Chanukah in the abridged Birkat HaMazone [called Al MaMichya, which is said after eating the seven special fruits of Eretz Yisrael, food made from the five grains, or wine].  If one forgot to say Al HaNissim, in Shemoneh Esrei or Birkat HaMazone, he need not pray again.  If one remembers before concluding the blessing in which Al HaNissim is inserted, he should go back and say it, unless he has already said God’s name at the end of the blessing (Shulchan Aruch 682:1).  In such a case, though, it is proper to say Al HaNissim at the end of Shemoneh Esrei, after all the blessings, because one may add there supplications and expressions of thanks to his heart’s desire.  Similarly, one who forgot to say Al HaNissim in Birkat HaMazone should say it after concluding the blessings, together with the HaRachaman paragraphs, where one may add as many prayers as he wants (Rama 682:1, Mishnah Berurah 4).[7]

            It is a mitzvah to recite the full Hallel, with a blessing, on all eight days of Chanukah (Arachin 10a).  For the halachah states that whenever the Jews are in dire straits, such as bondage or the threat of death, they must say Hallel when they are delivered from distress (Pesachim 117a, Megillat Ta’anit 9:2).  The mitzvah to say the full Hallel, with a blessing, on all eight days of Chanukah attests to Chanukah’s prominence.  After all, we say the full Hallel on Pesach only on the first day, while we say it every day of Chanukah.

            Women are exempt from saying Hallel, since it is a time-bound mitzvah.  Nonetheless, a woman who would like to say Hallel on Chanukah is worthy of blessing.  According to Sefardic custom, however, she should not recite a blessing over it, while according to Ashkenazi  tradition, she should (see Peninei Halachah, Tefillat Nashim 2:9).

Footnotes:

 

 

5. We say Hallel on two different types of occasions: on an appointed festival (mo’ed) and [in commemoration of] a miraculous salvation.  Sukkot is a mo’ed, and according to the Gemara (Arachin 10b), we say a full Hallel all seven days of the holiday because each day has a different set of sacrifices, making it unique…  On Pesach, however, we offer the same sacrifices every day.  The reason we say Hallel on Chanukah is [to commemorate] the miraculous salvation, and we recite the full Hallel all eight days because the miracle intensified every day.  This is also why we light an additional candle every night (Shibolei HaLeket 174, Beit Yosef 483).  It is clear that the primary basis for saying Hallel on Chanukah is the [military] victory, as the Gemara states in Arachin and Pesachim, and as Rabbeinu Gershom posits.  Nevertheless, the miracle of the oil-flask, which accompanied the [military] victory, revealed the greatness of the victory.  See also Yemei Hallel VeHoda’ah 41:3 with notes 22-25.  See above, 4:6, [where we discussed] whether the recitation of Hallel is biblically or rabbinically ordained.

We express our thanks by saying Al HaNissim in Shemoneh Esrei and Birkat HaMazone (Grace After Meals).  This prayer emphasizes the victory over the Greeks, who wanted to make us forget the Torah and its commandments.  HaShem came to our aid and delivered the strong and wicked into the hands of the few and righteous.  Afterwards, we purified the Temple and lit the lamps.  No mention is made of the miracle of the oil-flask.

The Rambam (3:1) further emphasizes the national-political victory:  “During the Second Temple [era], the Greek kings enacted [evil] decrees against the Jews.  They abolished their religion, prevented them from engaging in [the study of] Torah and [the performance of] mitzvot, stole their money and daughters, entered the Sanctuary, made breaches in it, defiled that which was pure, caused the Jews great distress, and pressured them sorely; until the God of their forefathers had mercy on them, delivered them from the hands [of the Greeks], and

6. See the Maharal’s Tiferet Yisrael, chap. 2 and 25 (end), and Ner Mitzvah p. 23.  The Greeks’ worldview stemmed from nature, and since nature has different forces, they believed in multiple gods.  In addition, since nature has no values, just strength, beauty, and external wisdom, they yearned for these things.  In contrast, Judaism is based on the belief in one God, Who created and transcends nature.  The goal is to discover God’s oneness in the world, to reveal the image of God within man by way of morals, Torah, and mitzvot.  The Greeks cannot coexist with us, because our belief in one God and our ethical values undermine the foundation of their worldview.  Judaism, however, can coexist with Greek culture and use it as a tool for research, classification, and the revelation of Jewish concepts.  For more on this, see Binah LeItim, vol. 1, chap. 25-27. 

7. Actually, Rabbeinu Tam holds that if one did not yet dislodge his feet [at the end of Shemoneh Esrei], he returns to the blessing of Modim in order to say Al HaNissim.  The halachah, however, does not follow his opinion.  Rather, once a person says God’s name at the end of the blessing, he no longer goes back, and he should not even conclude the blessing with the words lamdeini chukecha (Mishnah Berurah 294:7; see also Torat HaMo’adim 10:3).  Regarding Birkat HaMazone: the Gemara (Shabbat 24) implies that the recitation of Al HaNissim is merely a custom, not an obligation.  The Rashba and Ritva agree.  The Rambam, on the other hand, seems to hold that one must say it, and the Or Zaru’a writes that the masses have accepted it as an obligation.  The Ra’avyah believes that one is obligated to eat a meal with bread on Chanukah and, therefore, must repeat Birkat HaMazone upon forgetting Al HaNissim.  However, the halachah follows those who say that one need not repeat the prayer if Al HaNissim was omitted.  See Yemei Hallel VeHoda’ah 40:2-3.